WHAT does 2012 hold for Newcastle United? As ever there are both hopes and fears in Toon-land.

The addition of new blood and seeing the black-and-whites solidify their place in the top eight of the Premier League?

A run in the FA Cup with a manager in Alan Pardew who finally takes the competition seriously unlike those who came before him?

Or the sale of star names like Cheick Tiote and Tim Krul and a gruesome slide down the table after a promising start from Alan Pardew’s men?

Not for the first time, there are more questions than answers in the world of Newcastle United, but fears of player sales may well dominate the first month of the year.

Auld Lang Syne is done and dusted for another year, 2011 is behind us and now we head into transfer silly season as the window swings open for business.

The vibe coming from St James’s Park would appear to be “don’t expect too much” in January despite a more positive feel to incoming business just a short while ago.

By now we were expecting to be getting ready to see Modibo Maiga paraded in front of the hallowed turf and the addition of a defender or two.

Instead with the Maiga deal now off the radar after the striker failed a medical, it would seem Newcastle fans will see a defender come through the door.

Make no mistake, the Magpies have done very well in the Premier League to get to seventh spot and Alan Pardew deserves credit for leading Newcastle to a respectable position.

But Pardew has done it on a limited budget, a theme that observers of United fully expect to continue in at least the early part of 2012.

The August transfer window ended in frustrating circumstances with a striker failing to come through the door – and Pardew has already told Toon fans he will go with “what we’ve got”, until the summer. Newcastle’s great start to the 2011/12 campaign blotted out the disappointment of not finding a striker in the summer or breaking into any of the fees recouped for Andy Carroll, Jose Enrique or Kevin Nolan – something that still does not sit well with fans.

The message from the boardroom is clear, Newcastle will not make “trophy signings” any longer or buy players on past reputation, with Mike Ashley seemingly scarred by his experiences.

Seeing the likes of Mark Viduka, Geremi and Michael Owen limp around the treatment rooms of United’s Benton base while picking up huge wages is a sight that Newcastle’s top brass don’t want to repeat – fans will feel the same way too.

However, with such a talented chief scout like Graham Carr, perhaps it would be good to see his attributes put to the test of finding a bigger name player that can push United further up the table and really challenge.

Solidifying the finance sheets at St James’s Park is sensible and few would like to see United follow the paths of the likes of Leeds, Portsmouth or even Middlesbrough who have failed to recover from a relegation and find themselves housed in the Football League in front of rows of empty seats and sealed off stands.

But the question for 2012 to the Newcastle board has to be: Where do we go from here?

Injuries and suspensions have underlined the frailties of what is still a small squad.

With Demba Ba on international duty at the African Cup of Nations, the fear of where the goals will come from is already unfolding on Tyneside.

Without the talismanic Senegal ace – who has accounted for six of Newcastle’s last eight goals – and with just one win in eight games, the season is very much at a crossroads.

United fans – as ever – have responded in positive manner to Pardew’s team and have showed faith in the club by snapping up the offer of discounted tickets to fill the ground.

Now the hope would be to push on, sign a striker and bolster the squad with some defenders and allow Pardew to add some new blood into the side and really challenge for a spot in Europe.

Yet without bringing in fresh faces and with the rigours of a Premier League campaign already showing on Pardew’s squad, the fears from supporters are that the season could nosedive.

Hopefully that will not be the case and Pardew, John Carver and Steve Stone can keep the team in the upper reaches of the Premier League.

More clarity from the board going into the new year is required for Newcastle fans. And, while many feel player sales are inevitable, the arrival of more exciting untapped talent of the ilk of Yohan Cabaye, Davide Santon and Mehdi Abeid are to be encouraged from United’s backroom team.

On the pitch, the hope for Newcastle is undoubtedly more of the same with 2011 in the Premier League seeing United in their best shape for years as they head into 2012 in touch with the European contenders.

The last time United qualified for Europe was 2006 during the Glenn Roeder era.

But Newcastle have not enjoyed better days in the top flight in half a decade up until this season. For it to continue, United must review their squad though.

Many feel that the right-back situation needs to be looked into while more reliable cover is needed for ex-West Ham striker Ba.

The recent injuries in the centre-back department saw Pardew’s team rocked and valuable points dropped.

With more cover it could have been avoided.

Seeing skipper Fabricio Coloccini sign a new deal with Newcastle would also warm the hearts of many Geordie fans.

The new year wish from United fans is surely to “push on” rather than consolidate.

Finishing mid-table but learning that the financial figures are in good shape will prompt only a feeling of “what might have been” after such a great start to the season in which Newcastle have proved many pundits and observers wrong.

January could be about making statements on and off the field by Newcastle United. The rest of the year can be about making this thriving city proud again – and anybody who has ever experienced the St James’s Park crowd at full throttle will feel that this can indeed happen if the correct investment is made.

Many would have accepted a top-10 finish back in August but this team has shown character, guile and ability in abundance overall in this season and have shown they can mix it with the so-called bigger guns.

In terms of maximising United’s potential, Pardew must surely feel his team can clinch a place in Europe.

January will be pivotal to that achievement.

And only once the trading window slams shut for business in 29 days’ time can Toon supporters perform their own head count before predicting just how much of a happy new year 2012 can really be.